Hitchhiker - Shell Games

T

trybry5

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Oct 15, 2003
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The new CUC is in and now a new adventure begins.

On one of the new Red legged hermits, which they all using Mexican Cerith shells, is another shell.

This shell is different from the shells with colonial swirl or french horn type. It looks like clam shell or a mini white volcano. But at the top of it, there's a beak like cover.

Today, I watched it closely and the beak opened and a fan appeared. It would take a couple of swipes in the water and then close again.

What kind of hitchhiker is this?

Here's my two best pic's -
one where the beak is almost open and the other it is closed.

Couldn't get it open, in a video yet. (how would I upload that, by the YouTube button?)

Thanks

shell game clsd IMG_0739.jpg shell game IMG_0729.jpg
 
I could be way off, but it looks like a barnacle to me.
 
I really don't know anything about barnacle reproduction so i googled it lol. This is from wikipedia, though Im not sure how much I would trust the info there either. Hope this helps a little though:

Sexual reproduction
Most barnacles are hermaphroditic, although a few species are gonochoric or androdioecious. The ovaries are located in the base or stalk, and may extend into the mantle, while the testes are towards the back of the head, often extending into the thorax. Typically, recently molted hermaphroditic individuals are receptive as females. Self-fertilization, although theoretically possible, has been experimentally shown to be rare in barnacles[13][14].
The sessile lifestyle of barnacles makes sexual reproduction difficult, as the organisms cannot leave their shells to mate. To facilitate genetic transfer between isolated individuals, barnacles have extraordinarily long penises. Barnacles have the largest penis to body size ratio of the animal kingdom[13].
 
Sorry, should have done some research myself before asking.

Well, I guess, Time will tell.

It a freshly cycled tank, I hope it feeds on copedpods, and baby amphipods, because that all I see for now. Maybe there's more life in the water column, that I can't see.

Thanks again.
 
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